The Olympic pool and fitness centre on Broadway, Newmarket New Zealand. Photo / Jason Dorday
A Remuera man has admitted taking intimate visual recordings of hundreds of Newmarket swimming pool and gym users in offending spanning years.
Nearly 400 people were recorded by the man but none of them are aware they were targeted.
The Herald has confirmed the offending occurred in the men’s changing room at The Olympic Pools & Fitness Centre on Broadway.
It’s understood the man filmed the victims using his cell phone. The 27 charges he initially faced related to offending that spanned six years from 2019 to 2025.
He pleaded guilty this week to an amended set of 15 charges for making and possessing the illicit material.
His crimes were discovered one evening last year after a customer alerted pool staff to the man’s unusual behaviour.
The 46-year-old has interim name suppression and will be seeking permanent anonymity when he’s sentenced later this year.
He admitted 13 charges of making an intimate visual recording, one charge of possession and one charge of making an objectionable publication.
The charges he faces carry maximum prison terms of three years, one year and 14 years respectively.
The Olympic pool building is owned by Auckland Council but leased to and operated by private company The Olympic.
The Olympic general manager and director, Nick Tyrrell, told the Herald that once staff were alerted to the man’s behaviour, they acted immediately.
The complainant was assured the situation was being taken seriously and police were alerted, Tyrrell said.
“From there, we assisted the authorities in identifying and locating the person. [Police] have since thanked us and we feel that by taking such serious and immediate action, it’s stopped this awful person.”
Prior to this incident, no complaints had been made about phone usage in changing areas, or about the man.
Phone usage is banned in the facility’s changing rooms.
“It was a complete shock to find out the severity of the situation.
“It’s an awful situation for the people involved and I hope that justice is served for that individual. Our facility is a safe, family-friendly space. That person has completely violated our community.”
Tyrrell believed the man should not be granted permanent name suppression.
“They do not deserve to have that freedom. Consistent abuse like this is not something that will stop. Someone who acts in such a way should not have the privilege to use the great swimming facilities of Auckland in the future.”
At a hearing on Tuesday, Judge Belinda Sellars KC continued the man’s interim suppression until his July sentencing, when he will request permanent anonymity.
On the request of the man’s lawyer, Scott Brickell, convictions were not entered.
Brickell told the judge that while he did not anticipate applying for a discharge without conviction, he wanted time to see the man’s psychological report.
The man wore a shirt, navy jumper and pants, and was supported by a woman in court.
Police have been approached for comment.
The man’s offending is the latest in a string of Auckland cases involving men caught making covert intimate recordings.
An Auckland man was sentenced to 10 months’ home detention last year for secretly filming 62 women, including inside changing rooms at a Newmarket store, in public showers and toilets.
He also has interim name suppression and is fighting to keep his identity secret.
Another man has been charged with making more than 100 intimate visual recordings of women across Auckland in offending spanning more than three years.
It’s alleged the suspect used devices to film women covertly at various locations, including a Newmarket shopping complex and the bathroom at a central Auckland commercial accommodation complex.
And last year, Auckland chef Kazuya Yamauchi was convicted of filming a young woman undressing in his home bathroom.
Angie, a victim of intimate visual recording committed by another offender, said the latest incident involving the pool changing room was evidence that this type of offending was increasing “exponentially”.
“It’s not just the frequency of offenders that are being caught, but the scale of their offending.”
She said it showed this was a significant issue that needed to be reckoned with by society and the justice system.
“Digital sex crime is going to be a prevailing issue for the coming years.”
Angie, who only wanted to use her first name, said there was always a risk of this type of crime in the modern world, even in places you’d expect privacy.
Katie Harris is an Auckland-based journalist who covers issues including sexual assault, workplace misconduct, media, crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2020.
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